Chrysanthemum plant named Cinderella

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Cinderella particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; decorative capitulum type; light pink ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 64 to 73 mm when fully opened, when grown as a single stem spray cut mum; flowering response in Salinas under normal temperatures is 46 to 53 days after start of short days. Flowering response in bogota, Colombia is 58 to 63 days; plant height is 86 to 94 cm when grown in Salinas with 4 to 18 long days prior to start of short days; height is 104 to 117 cm when grown in Bogota with 14 to 21 long days prior to start of short days; peduncle length of the first lateral at flowering after removing the apical bud without growth regulator applications is 8 to 13 cm when grown in Salinas, and 13 to 15 cm when grown in Bogota; peduncle length of the fourth lateral at flowering is 10 to 15 cm when grown in Salinas, and 18 to 20 cm when grown in Bogota; and excellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation and flower development.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Cinderella.

Cinderella, identified as 0989 (90-985001), was originated from a crossmade by Cornelis P. VandenBerg in a controlled breeding program inSalinas, Calif., in 1990.

The female parent of Cinderella was the cultivar identified as Momento,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,407, and described as a flatdecorative cut spray mum with a yellow ray floret color; a diameter ofcapitulum of 64 to 70 mm; a flowering response in Salinas, Calif. of 50to 54 days; a plant height of 84 to 102 cm when grown with 6 to 14 longdays prior to start of short days; a peduncle length of the 1st lateralof 10 to 15 cm and of the 4th lateral of 18 to 20 cm, when grown inSalinas, Calif.; and a terminal spray formation. Momento was neverintroduced in Colombia, Central America, because of unsatisfactoryperformance.

The male parent of Cinderella was an unnamed seedling, identified as1092 (85-245031), and described as a light pink flat decorative cutspray mum with many disc florets; flowering response to short days of 52to 56 days in Salinas, Calif., and of 65 to 72 days in Bogota, Colombia;a plant height of 64 to 81 cm with 0 to 7 long days prior to start ofshort days when grown in Salinas, and of 89 to 109 cm with 14 to 15 longdays prior to start of short days when grown in Bogota; a pedunclelength of the 1st lateral of 10 to 13 cm and of the 4th lateral of 13 to18 cm, when grown in Salinas, Calif.; a peduncle length of the 1st andthe 4th lateral of 10 to 18 cm and 13 to 23 cm when grown in Bogota; aterminal spray formation; and an excellent tolerance to low nighttemperatures for bud initiation and flower development.

Cinderella was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Cornelis P. VandenBerg in February 1991,in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Cinderella was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in May1991 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by techniciansworking under supervision of Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Cinderella are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Cinderella has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif., and in Bogota, Colombia, under greenhouseconditions which approximate those generally used in commercialgreenhouse practice. The low temperature tolerance was determined inrepeated flowerings in Bogota, Colombia, with an average minimum lownight temperature inside the greenhouse during our trials ranging as lowas 5 to 10 degrees Celsius.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Cinderella, which, in combination,distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Decorative capitulum type.

3. Light pink ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 64 to 73 mm when fully opened,when grown as a single stem spray cut mum.

5. Flowering response in Salinas under normal temperatures is 46 to 53days after start of short days. Flowering response in Bogota, Colombiais 58 to 63 days.

6. Plant height is 86 to 94 cm when grown in Salinas with a 4 to 18 longdays prior to start of short days; height is 104 to 117 cm when grown inBogota with 14 to 21 long days prior to start of short days.

7. Peduncle length of the first lateral at flowering after removing theapical bud without growth regulator applications is 8 to 13 cm whengrown in Salinas, and 13 to 15 cm when grown in Bogota. Peduncle lengthof the fourth lateral at flowering is 10 to 15 cm when grown in Salinas,and 18 to 20 cm when grown in Bogota.

8. Excellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation andflower development.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andleaf characteristics of Cinderella, with the colors being as nearly trueas possible with illustrations of this type. Sheet 1 is a colorphotograph of Cinderella grown as a single stem spray cut mum. Sheet 2is a black and white photograph of three views of the inflorescence ofCinderella. Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the upperand under sides of the leaves of Cinderella at 3 stages of development(mature, intermediate and immature). In sheets 2 and 3 a measuring tapein centimeters has been added.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Cinderella is the cultivar identified as Zilcon, disclosedin U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,052. Reference is made to attached Chart A,which compares certain characteristics of Cinderella with the samecharacteristics of Zilcon.

Similar traits are capitulum form and type, diameter across face,peduncle length and excellent low night temperatures tolerance. The rayfloret color of both Cinderella and Zilcon is light pink. However, theray floret color of Cinderella is a slightly darker pink than the verylight pink ray floret color of Zilcon. Cinderella has a significantlyfaster flowering response when compared with Zilcon.

In the following description color references are made to the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a single stem spray cut mum in Salinas, Calif.on Dec. 15, 1992.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Cinderella.

Commercial.--Decorative spray cut mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Decorative.

Diameter across face.--64 to 73 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Light pink.

Color (upper surface).--62D.

Color (under surface).--65D.

Shape.--Straight, oblong, slightly ribbed.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--14A.

Color (immature).--144B.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; no pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--86 to 94 cm when grown in Salinas with 4 to 18 long days priorto start of short days, and 104 to 117 cm when grown in Bogota with 14to 21 long days prior to start of short days.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--See photograph.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CULTIVAR       CINDERELLA   ZILCON                                            ______________________________________                                        Ray floret color                                                                             Light pink   Light pink                                        Capitulum form Flat decorative                                                                            Flat decorative                                   and type                                                                      Diameter across face                                                                         64 to 73 mm  60 to 80 mm                                       of capitulum                                                                  Flowering Response                                                            in Salinas     46 to 53 days                                                                              55 to 62 days                                     in Bogota      58 to 63 days                                                                              68 to 71 days                                     Peduncle length:                                                              1st lateral Salinas                                                                          8 to 13 cm   8 to 13 cm                                        4th lateral Salinas                                                                          10 to 15 cm  13 to 20 cm                                       1st lateral Bogota                                                                           13 to 15 cm  13 to 15 cm                                       4th lateral Bogota                                                                           18 to 20 cm  18 to 23 cm                                       Low night temperature                                                                        Excellent    Excellent                                         tolerance                                                                     COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS                                           SINGLE STEM SPRAY CUT MUMS IN SALINAS,                                        CALIFORNIA AND IN BOGOTA, COLOMBIA                                            ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Cinderella, asdescribed and illustrated.